§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord Privy Seal what proportion of gross national product is spent on aid to the poorer countries of the world; how this compares with the performance of other European countries, Japan, the United States of America and the countries of the Soviet bloc; when he expects to raise that proportion to the level demanded by the United Nations; and if he proposes to take steps to implement the recommendations of the Brandt report.
§ Mr. Neil MartenThe following table gives the ratio of net official development assistance to GNP for 1979:
per cent. United Kingdom 0.52 Austria 0.19 Belgium 0.56 Denmark 0.75 Finland 0.21 France 0.59 West Germany 0.44 Italy 0.08 Netherlands 0.93 Norway 0.93 Sweden 0.94 Switzerland 0.21 Japan 0.26 USA 0.20 The ratio of official development assistance to GNP given by the USSR and six East European countries combined was 0.11 per cent. Excluding flows to Cuba, Vietnam—which is by far the largest single recipient of East European aid—and North Korea, the figure was 0.03 per cent.
The Government accept in principle the United Nations target of 0.7 per cent. of GNP for official development assistance, but, like the previous Administration, are not committed to a timetable for reaching this figure. Progress towards it must depend upon our economic circumstances.
The Government welcome the Brandt Commission report, which contains much with which we agree. We are 166W already taking an active part in international actions in the fields covered by the report. For example, we have agreed to the doubling of the World Bank's capital; we have taken legislative authority to participate in the latest replenishment of the International Development Association and our contribution will be £555 million, equivalent to 10.1 per cent. of the total replenishment; we are participating in the 30 per cent. increase in the European Community contribution under the new food aid convention; and we have just announced a contribution of £4.27 milliion to the second account of the common fund for commodities. This voluntary contribution, equivalent to $10 million, is in addition to the United Kingdom's contribution to the capital for the fund's first account; that assessed contribution will amount to around £6.5 million.